One of the world’s top experts on leadership in church and business, and founder of the INJOY Group dedicated to helping people maximize their personal and leadership potential, John C Maxwell appears in front of more than 250,000 people and is read or watched by more than a million more.
He says that, for himself, the big moment came In the early ’70s when as a 24-year-old pastor, he realised that simply working hard doesn’t guarantee success. Often looked to as an experienced leadership coach, he sought help from an executive coach himself when offered the chance to lead one of the biggest churches in his denomination. John didn’t feel experienced enough for the job, but the coach asked him about the job, he asked about John’s plan for own personal growth. “I had no plan,” says Maxwell.
That’s why one of John’s big things is “Intentionality” – the concept that if you want your life to improve, you must improve yourself first.
John Maxwell appreciates that everyone has the potential to improve themselves, and that requires ‘intentionality’ a concept many other leaders and leadership teachers are switching on to. The strategy of ‘work hard’ isn’t enough. And hoping for the desired outcome isn’t a strategy either.
He isn’t averse to using catchy phrase such as: “You cannot win if you do not begin!” This means taking the initiative by doing something specific every day that will take you another step closer to your goal. “Nearly all successes, “ he says, “are the fruit of initiative.”
Getting started brings its own problems, no the least of which is setting priorities. Keeping with what that first coach said to him, John feels it’s important to schedule a daily, 60 minute meeting with yourself for think about your own personal growth. It’s vital to prepare yourself or give up any hope of reaching your potential.
Maxwell wants to encourage people to seek out what you were put on this earth to do. Then pursue it with all their energy. To find that, you have to be curious about yourself . The greatest difference between curious, growing people and those who aren’t is the belief that they can learn, grow, and change. To be truly ‘intentional’ you have to go looking for growth, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom – because it will not come looking for you.